Halflife
by Linda Atkinson
Summary: The team gets lost on a weird, unknown planet. Strange things happen. John/Rodney slash.


Title: Half Life Part 1

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis

Pairing: Sheppard/McKay

Rating: PG13 to R

Warnings: First-time, supernatural violence

The sand shifted under McKay's feet causing him to slide ever so slightly down the dune again. Wiping a hand across his forehead he paused studying Sheppard's back as the other man struggled over the red, iron rich soil and crested the top of the dune. Teyla paused coming to rest beside McKay giving him a sympathetic look. Her brow furrowed in concern when she noticed the doctor's labored breathing, and pasty complexion.

"Are you unwell Dr. McKay?" she asked brushing a hand gently over the human's arm. The sweat-slicked clamminess of McKay's skin caused her to wince slightly. Despite the heat the doctor felt cool to the touch something she was sure meant that he was indeed suffering from some illness.

Drawing a deep breath McKay shrugged. "I don't feel quite right."

With an alarmed glance at Colonel Sheppard's retreating form she motioned Ronan Dex over. "Go call back the colonel. I feel that Dr. McKay is suffering from shock or, at the very least, dehydration."

Dex looked at McKay and paused as if measuring the chances that the other man might collapse. "We are not far from the jumpship. I believe that with assistance Dr. McKay can make it that far," he said quickly.

With a worried frown Teyla nodded her assent. "Then you assist him. I will catch up with the colonel." Dex responded with a shrug, all but lifting McKay off his feet. Flushing deep crimson from embarrassment the scientist draped an arm around the larger man's neck, leaning against his more solid form. He hated feeling out of control. Dex's big hand slid down his side grasping his right hip almost painfully hard, and McKay grunted. Rolling his eyes the bigger man physically hauled the scientist up the dune and over the crest.

Sheppard was leaning against the puddlejumper talking to Teyla when Dex and McKay came into sight. He glanced at McKay's pale, sweat streaked face and frowned.

"Rodney, why didn't you say anything? I would have waited."

McKay snorted. "As I recall _John_, I did say something, oh…let's see, about five miles ago. You just plowed right ahead without any regard to my incapacity."

The colonel eyed the scientist and his "crutch" with a deepening frown. His eyes darted to the large fingers splayed on the blue-clad hip of the shorter man. Dex noted the deepening frown with a slight twisting of his lips. He dropped his hand grasping the under curve of McKay's buttock as he hoisted the other man onto the jumper ramp and toward the door. McKay glanced down shrugging lightly, but Sheppard's face darkened. The undertones of deep red crept all the way down the collar of his t-shirt, and Sheppard stepped toward Dex thrusting his chin out, grinning.

"Don't manhandle the _genius_." He hissed making it sound like a dig at McKay, but both Dex and Teyla heard it for the threat it really was. A smile brightened the Athosian woman's face and she dug an elbow into Dex's ribs. He grimaced but remained quiet, refusing to fall into Teyla's meddling plan to get the colonel and McKay to admit that they were in love with each other.

Turning abruptly Sheppard motioned the team into the jumper. "Come on people, we're burning daylight," he said snidely, winking at McKay. McKay threw him a disgusted look, moving toward the passenger seats at the rear of the ship. Sheppard motioned for him to grab a bottle of water before sitting down. "You need to get some fluids in you; Carson'll have my hide if you come back this dehydrated."

Sighing McKay leaned over and peeled off his boots, rubbing his feet before shifting around in his seat. Opening the bottle he took a long drink of water and shut his eyes in appreciation. Sheppard watched the entire show in awe that the other man could actually make such a "performance" out of getting a drink. Realizing that the "Rodney Show" was over for the moment the colonel strapped himself into the pilot seat and started the engine.

He felt a faint bitterness settling over him that the entire trip had been a bust. The energy readings that they had picked up on a flyby had been residual background radiation from a volcano, and the friendly natives that they had hoped to trade with had turned out to be the biggest bunch of intergalactic incompetents that Sheppard had ever had the misfortune to run across.

The planet itself had been little better, A vast sandpit filled with iron rich soil and scorpions. A cloud of said sand was streaming up over the bow of the puddlejumper as the thrusters kicked in and lifted the little craft toward the Stargate. A faint vibration rattled the air as the ship launched and the landing gear retracted. Sheppard frowned fine-tuning the controls to compensate for the sudden energy burst.

McKay leaned forward in his seat, hand clasping the armrest. The trembling vibrated his seat and he gasped. "Be careful Colonel Sheppard. It feels like the volcano is making its presence known again. This time a little more loudly than before."

"Don't worry, we'll be long gone before it gets too rough out there." Sheppard swung the ship around, but a sudden jolt rocked the ground throwing up a cloud of dark, red soil. A rain of small pebbles rattled against the hull, and the ship shook again. McKay shifted in the seat again craning his neck to get a look at the controls.

"John, remember that seismic activity can affect gate function." With a worried glance at the view screen McKay unfastened his restraints and wobbled forward, pulling himself along by the armrests on the passenger seats. He shouldered his way into the co-pilot's seat.

Sheppard looked annoyed, "It's not too rough right now."

McKay growled an oath under his breath., "Yes, it's not too rough right now, but the seismic activity could increase in strength and duration. Just don't dial the gate too soon."

Flashing McKay a false grin Sheppard snorted," I have done this a time or two. I think I've got it knocked by now."

"Well, I've noticed that every time you think you've got it down pat, we end up getting knocked on our asses."

"Well, your ass is well padded enough that it should absorb the shock."

McKay glared at Sheppard and if looks could maim John was sure he would be a cripple.

"Now you're just getting nasty…" With a smirk McKay glanced at the colonel. "What are you doing looking at my ass anyway?"

Caught out Sheppard glanced over his shoulder at the other man, too afraid of the answer to that question to reply. Knowing full well that if the only answer he had scared him it would terrify McKay. Also knowing if McKay pressed him to give that answer he couldn't, no… wouldn't …lie. McKay didn't press. Sheppard covered his nervousness with argument though it rang false in his ears.

"Look McKay your High and Mighty God of Astrophysics act gets a little stale every now and again. I'm fed up with you trying to tell me how to do my job. MY JOB…okay you can just stop trying to make me feel that my intellect is beneath you."

"I have never felt you beneath me, John."

Sheppard's mouth snapped shut with an audible click of teeth, and he winced as his tongue got caught in the middle, but the look on McKay's face was worth the pain.

McKay coughed, sputtering a bit, and then lapsing into total silence.

The ship dived down toward the gate, and Sheppard motioned for McKay to dial the address to Atlantis. With shaking hands, the scientist keyed in the code for the city and Sheppard dipped the small craft into the event horizon. As the puddlejumper began to disappear into the wormhole the ground was rocked by another quake, the gate shuddered violently and the last chevron dimmed--fading out. As the gate rocked again another chevron lit and the ship was caught in the vortex and swept away.

Having the wormhole disrupted while in transit was not a desirable thing. Sheppard could tell from the way the ship bucked briefly that the gate had malfunctioned. He desperately hoped that wherever they ended up the gate on the planet was functional. His hopes dimmed and then died a quick undignified death when they puddlejumper was spit out of the wormhole into space. The ship tumbled end over end then was caught in the gravity well of the large blue and white planet hanging in the diamond studded void.

The engine shuddered, stalling, and the ship plunged downward gaining speed. Sheppard flicked at the controls futilely for a few seconds then turned to the others. "We're going in hot. Hold on to your ass this is going to be a bumpy ride."

McKay hastily strapped the restraints around his chest, looking back at Teyla and Dex. The two were stoic, unmoving but Teyla's hands were clenched on the armrest; Dex on the other hand was securing his weapons without much thought of the spiraling course of the ship. The puddlejumper hit the atmosphere and skated along the heavier air, before tipping nose down. A red glare lit the viewscreen as the front end of the ship cut through the atmosphere and heated to a white hot.

Swinging around, the ship leveled briefly and Sheppard felt the engines kick in again. Letting out his pent up breath he wrestled the controls and brought the craft into some semblance of a flight path toward the planet's surface.

The ship bucked once again, then jolted into a rough arc, sliding across the bright Day side of the planet and careering downward in the thin cusp of the planet hanging just on the edge of darkness. Trees rose up out of the shadows, boughs hung heavy with foliage. The ship plowed through the canopy and dug a trench in the soft, moist soil of the swampland. Skidding across the muddy land, the puddlejumper, true to its name, flipped over the banks of the swamp and came to rest on the grassy knolls just below a large meadow.

The crisp pop of fried electrical wiring roused Sheppard from his hazy half-faint. Smoke was pouring out of the control panel and rapidly filling the compartment. Shaking McKay the colonel leaned over and unfastened the scientist's restraints then scrambled from his seat. Dex was up and moving, hitting the manual control on the door and ramp.

Teyla stopped only long enough to retrieve her pack then clambered over the seats and onto the ramp. Sheppard picked up his pack, and pushed McKay through the door.

The night was muggy, warm in the Deep South way Sheppard remembered Louisiana being the one time he had ventured to New Orleans for Marti Gras. The swamp smelt vaguely the same way, gassy and rotting. A warm breeze stirred the trees, making the leaves rattle in the early evening air. The sun was just dipping over the horizon and Sheppard motioned to the hillside. "We should climb up. Get the lay of the land before it gets too dark."

"Why are we leaving the ship?" McKay objected waving a hand in the direction of the now partially submerged jumpship. "Shouldn't we stay close by in case they send someone?"

With a sigh Sheppard pushed McKay toward the grass. "They aren't going to send someone because no one knows where we are just yet. I couldn't get the distress signal out, so we're going to have to look for the gate on this planet or fix the puddlejumper, and get to the orbiting gate we exited through. We need to get out of the swamp tonight, look for a good place to camp or a village. We still have some trade goods and some Athosian coins so if we do find a village we can barter for food and a place to stay."

Sheppard gave McKay a little push and the two men struggled up the hillside. Teyla and Dex followed close behind. Sheppard stepped in front of McKay drawing his P-90 glancing around before proceeding down the other side. At the foot of the hill was a low, flat meadow, deep in shadow now as the last vestiges of sunlight faded from the sky. Dotted throughout the meadow were numerous stones, too geometric to be anything other than manmade. Sheppard nodded to himself that meant that somewhere there were people, a city with some degree of technology— at least the ability to work stone. With a hand motion the colonel waved Dex ahead, and the big man moved silently forward weapon at ready.

They were well into the midst of the neat rows of stones before Sheppard recognized the place for what it was--a cemetery. He shivered as he glanced down his boot clad feet planted squarely in the center of a grave. Moving slightly to his left he felt better, walking now in the isle between the rows of graves. McKay bumped into him from behind, and Sheppard raised a hand to steady him, fingers slipping down the smooth, cool skin of the scientist's arm to grasp his hand.

Glancing around McKay felt his fingers slip into Sheppard's and he moved as quietly as possible behind the colonel following Dex and Teyla toward the low structure in the center of the field. The low building was flanked on either side by large overgrown scrubs, and iron pillars that might have once been a fence. The metal was rusty and crumbling in places, almost eroded away. The pillars lead out from the building for a few feet disappearing and reappearing irregularly down the length of a paved path that lead to a fountain.

The two humans caught up to Dex and Teyla who were standing in the shadows beneath a statue of some androgynous being whose glassy marble eyes followed their every movement. McKay glanced at the cold, placid face of the statue swallowing hard. He moved closer to Sheppard then stopped himself. Only then did he become aware of the fact that their hands were still entwined. Steeling himself McKay quickly dropped his hand, loosening Sheppard's fingers.

"Well," Sheppard began, motioning to the building. "This is a pretty sophisticated set-up. I'd say these people may be able to help us. Maybe they know where the Stargate is. Or maybe they have tools we can use to repair the jumpship."

McKay nodded, settling on the lip of the fountain. "It does look like they have some degree of technology, but I don't know if it's sufficient to repair the ship. We won't know until we find them." He looked at the smooth, obsidian surface of the water in the fountain thinking to himself that this would be the perfect place to meet up with Freddy Kruger. The wind whipped the bushes, and from somewhere behind the building McKay was sure that he could hear the shuffle of footfalls and the scrape of metal on stone. Eyes wide he winced. "Think good thoughts…think good thoughts."

"What?" Teyla asked coming to stand behind him. Her hand settled on his shoulder and McKay shot straight up almost knocking her over. Teyla stepped back hastily, and McKay flushed.

"Sorry, I said that I think we should move on. The path seems to lead that way. We should follow it."

Sheppard resumed his forward position, waiting impatiently for McKay to follow along. Teyla and Dex brought up the rear, Dex with weapon drawn. The sun had melted away, leaving the night balmy and dark. There were faint lights in the distance, quite a few and Sheppard headed that way. He estimated that they were in for about an hour's walk. The path was level and it was all downhill so he set a rapid pace, P-90 cradled in the crook of his elbow, but still easily accessible.

The wind whipped through the branches over head, sending a rain of silvery leaves to the ground. McKay reached out to catch one of the hand-sized bits of foliage, turning it over. It was a big veined broad leaf with four rounded lobes—reminiscent of a four-leafed clover. He tucked into the waistband of his trousers, hurrying to catch up with the colonel.

They were half way between the cemetery and the village when Dex caught sight of the ruins rising up on the hillside. He stopped motioning to the castle but Sheppard shook his head. No lights were visible in the hulking remnants of stone walls. "Don't think anyone lives there anymore." He said cocking his head. A faint sound echoed off the half tumbled down walls, the sounds of animals running.

Whirling around Sheppard brought up his gun just a pack of large wolves trotted into sight beneath the fallen walls. The lead wolf lowered his head, growling menacingly, hackles raised. Eyes flashing red in the silvery moonlight the wolf turned growling toward the rest of the pack. The wolves began advancing down the path towards the team and Dex moved quickly to stand beside Sheppard weapon at the ready.

McKay winced edging closer to Colonel Sheppard. There were ten maybe twelve wolves in the pack, big dark gray animals with hunched backs and ragged fur. Raising his gun Sheppard took aim at the lead wolf. His shot missed by inches ricocheting off the stony ground with an echoing whine. The wolf jumped back and the pack halted sniffing warily at the air. A second shot from Dex followed closely by another round from the colonel and the wolves scattered.

Several of the wolves broke rank and ran, but the lead wolf and two pack mates bounded toward the team fangs bared. Sheppard nudged McKay and the scientist drew his handgun flicking the safety off. He picked up his pace turning on the path and running. Teyla ran beside him keeping pace while Sheppard and Dex kept to the rear trying to run and fire at the same time. The three wolves broke into a run, loping with long strides covering the ground much faster than their fleeing prey.

Pausing Sheppard drew a bead on the lead wolf and fired. The rapport boomed, echoing and reechoing off the hillside. The wolf twisted in mid-air, slamming back against the ground with a wavering howl. The two other wolves paused sniffing uncertainly before loping back to the lead wolf.

Taking advantage of the wolves' inattention the team ran as fast as they could until they reached the village. The first building that they came to was a two story affair made of dark black timber and white plaster. The doors were heavy wood with a small bottle glass window. Panting Sheppard leaned against the door, pounding on it with one hand.

For a few moments he thought that they might be turned away, and then the sound of a heavy bolt being drawn back came to him. The door swung open and he was face to face with a giant man, carrying a lantern. The giant motioned the four in, and slammed the door.

Teyla smiled tentatively at the man bowing politely. He glared at her, then motioned them into the main room which appeared to be a combination dining room, common area.

The room was lit by three large wagon wheel chandeliers filled with white candles. At the far end of the room was a staircase leading up to the second floor. Just to the left and behind them an enormous fireplace took up most of the wall. From a smaller doorway in the center of the room came a small gray haired woman. She was dressed in a black dress, and had a dark green shawl wrapped around her shoulders.

"It is late out for travelers," she said gruffly. Slowly she walked to a table and waved them over. "You are late for supper, but I have tea and rolls still, maybe some roasted meat left. Are you hungry?"

"Well, actually, we haven't had dinner," McKay said. Sheppard rolled his eyes. They settled into chairs around the table Dex and Teyla on one side, McKay and the colonel on the other. Sheppard leaned his gun against the table, leaning back in his chair, propping his feet on the rung under the scientist's chair.

The older woman nodded serenely. "Vanya, go and fetch the tea kettle. I will bring bread and meat. Oh, please forgive me. I am Mischa Forenescu and this is Vanya my brother. We own this inn. It is lucky, perhaps, that you came here tonight. The harvest is done tomorrow and the festival begins. There will not be a room or shed for renting tomorrow evening. Myself I have only two rooms left that are not spoken for…will you be needing them?"

"Yes, we'll take the rooms. We have some money…coins or barter goods for the rooms and food for the four of us." McKay added quickly before Sheppard could arbitrarily decide that they should all sleep in the jumpship.

"Well, I can put the big man and his woman in the room at the top of the stairs and you and your man just across the hall."

"Wait he isn't my…" But she had already disappeared into the kitchen. Sheppard laughed at McKay's red-faced outrage. Quickly he leaned over and patted the other man on the back.

"Guess she knows who wears the pants in this family, honey."

"Oh shut up." McKay hissed brushing the colonel's hand off his shoulder. With a shrug Sheppard dropped back into his chair.

"Looks like I'm not getting any here tonight."

"Not only are not getting any here you're not getting any in any of the nearest parallel universes either."

Mischa returned in short order with a large wooden tray piled with a plate of sliced meat and a basket of fluffy looking white rolls. The meat smelled rich and savory and Sheppard had to admit that he was starving. "How did you come to be out this night?"

Teyla shot the others a warning glance then smiled.

"Our conveyance broke down in the swamp." She said quickly. "We walked down from the burial ground…"

"You came from the cemetery --passed the castle." The old woman hissed. "Did you see anything unusual?"

The giant slapped another wooden tray on the table this one bearing a huge cast iron kettle and several white ceramic mugs. He shoved the cups at the team and poured out steaming tea liberally lacing it with a honey-like substance. Teyla accepted her mug and took a sip. "That is very good."

Sheppard followed suit then nodded at McKay. "Its okay, Rodney. No citrus."

McKay gratefully picked up the mug and took a drink. The tea was wonderfully warm and aromatic. With a sigh he helped himself to bread and meat making a thick sandwich.

After the team had eaten something Sheppard turned back to their hostess. "We ran into a pack of wolves."

The old woman stiffened noticeably. "Were any of you hurt by the wolves? Anyone bitten?" She asked making some kind of a gesture, touching both cheeks and pressing her lips to the back of her hand. Sheppard was reminded of the old gypsy women crossing themselves in every old Hammer Films version of Dracula he had ever seen.

Dex shook his head. "No, none of us was injured. I believe that Sheppard might have shot one of the wolves though."

The old woman sat up straight, drawing her shawl closer, fingers nervously picking at the thick woolen threads. Finally, she glanced sideways at the giant then almost too causally asked Sheppard. "Did you…shoot one of the wolves?"

"I don't know. We were moving pretty fast. It seems like I might have hit it. We didn't stick around to check it out."

"It is just as well that you did not."

Leaning forward Teyla asked, "Mischa, who lives in the castle outside of the village. It looks to be very old."

"Yes, it is very old. Ancient in fact. But no one has lived there for many years. Not in my lifetime…."

"Stay away from that place." Vanya interjected. He rushed into the room, waving his arms erratically. "It is a bad place. Nothing goes in and nothing ever comes out."

"Vanya…that is enough. There is no use upsetting our guests."

"I'm just saying…."

"No, enough! Go to bed now. It is very late we should all go to bed." Mischa rose picking up the lantern. The team followed her up the stairs. She paused at first one door, unlocking it with an iron key. She handed the key to Teyla before moving across the hall to a second room. McKay intercepted the key and lead Sheppard into the large room.

A fire had been lit in the fireplace and the room was comfortably warm. In the center of the wall was a large wooden bed piled with a thick duvet. The bed linens were immaculately clean, and two fluffy feather pillows were propped against the wooden headboard. Sighing McKay settled on the foot of the bed and began stripping off his boots and socks. He motioned to Sheppard and the colonel swallowed hard. Not looking at the other man Sheppard settled on the opposite side of the bed, and also began undressing. When he looked up again McKay had stripped to just his boxers and was shaking out his trousers and shirt laying them carefully over the back of a caned-backed wooden chair flanking a small wooden table. He stretched until his back cracked and yawned hugely. "I hope you don't snore. Oh, it probably wouldn't matter I'm exhausted."

Without another word the scientist scrambled into the bed, crawled between the crisp white sheets and dropped like a rock. The vibrations of the bed made Sheppard a little seasick, or at least that was what he tried to convince himself. McKay rolled over onto one side. "Come to bed, and put out the light on your way."

_Come to bed._ Oh yeah! Sheppard felt a part of his anatomy perk up at that line. Sternly he willed it into submission. For months now he had wanted nothing more than Rodney McKay in his bed, warm and willing. Now that he had it he was not sure what he wanted to do. He finished stripping down with a grim efficiency and hung his clothes on the other chair. The vague man-shaped bundle in the bed didn't even move as he paused to blow out the lantern then slipped into the bed.

McKay studiously kept his back to the other man, and fell into a deep sleep. Sheppard rolled onto his left side trying to ignore the heat coming from the man behind him. It wouldn't do for Rodney to catch him clinging for dear life with a raging hard-on. But McKay was asleep, deeply asleep, so what if Sheppard just happened to roll over—unaware of course. He could slide just a bit closer. Yes, there was still a tiny distance between them, but Sheppard was close enough to feel that glorious heat, and smell the clean masculine scent that was part sweat, part aftershave and wholly Rodney. Now all he had to do was keep his hands to himself. Sheppard fell asleep with a blissful smile on his lips.

Teyla was flat on her back snoring softly. Dex rolled over grumbling under his breath. He was of a mind to fling the Athosian woman out of the bed. Suddenly her slender arm lashed out smacking him across his face. With a muffled curse he shoved her away staggering to the window. Wiping his eyes the big man noticed that during the night a thick fog had blown it. It obscured the trees in the courtyard in front of the inn. A silvery whirl of fog drew itself into a tight funnel, and as Dex watched the deepening mist coalesced into a figure. In a few moments the form of a white clad girl appeared outside the window. She was clad in a long flowing gown the color of early morning sky. Her long hair was unbound flowing around her slender face. She leaned closer to the window, tapping her fingers against the glass.

Laughing she stoked the cool green surface. "Let me inside," she begged. The voice flowed over Dex like the tinkling of tiny metal bells. She giggled her entire demeanor at odds with pleading in her voice and eyes. "Please, let me inside my handsome friend. I am so cold, and hungry…"

Her eyes were endless blue pools, as deep as the seas surrounding Atlantis and Dex found himself falling into them, willingly drowning. His questing fingers found the sash of the window, trembling over the glass. Just as his hands settled on the latch Teyla

grabbed his hands, just as he was opening the lock.

"No!," she cried shrilly. "Don't you know what she is?"

"Yes, she is a girl. Outside in this bitter cold."

"She is also floating in mid-air. My people have a name for her kind ligolli…the humans call them Vampire. They are the reanimated dead who suck the blood of the living to feed themselves."

Dex cocked his head looking at the girls grinning face. Suddenly her feature seemed less perfect, less beautiful and far more unnatural He glanced down at her bare feet, supported by nothing more than the night air.

"Do not look upon her; she is bound by the laws of her kind. They are forbidden to enter where they are not invited."

Turning away Dex shook his head. "Be gone demon we want no part of you."

There was the sound of the glass vibrating then the wind rustling the trees. When he looked at the window again she was gone, the night empty but for the fog.

Sheppard awoke to his nose itching. He started to scratch it but found both his arms restrained. Eyes flying open he realized too things. The first was that his nose was itching because his face was buried in Rodney's hair. The second thing was that his arm was wrapped around McKay's waist, held down by Rodney's arm and that his hand was clamped to McKay's breast. "Oh crap," he thought. He tried to extricate himself but McKay shuffled backwards and Sheppard realized the third and most important thing, his aching hard flesh was pressed into the crack of Rodney's ass. "Oh crap."

"Interesting predicament… Oh gee John is that gun in your boxers or are you just happy to see me?" McKay said perkily. That little shit. Sheppard groaned and tried to pull away but McKay pressed against the hard length of flesh parting his buttocks.

"You're awake…how long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to wonder if I was going to be molested, abused and deflowered all before breakfast."

Sheppard slid his hand from under McKay's arm and down his side, lazily dipping his fingers into the waistband of Rodney's shorts. When the other man didn't object he pushed the material down. McKay helpfully lifted his butt a little and the boxers were down to his knees in no time. Sheppard quickly pushed his own shorts down. "Uh, Rodney when you say deflowered do you really mean…"

"I'm pure as the driven snow. At least when it comes to guys. But well, what can I say John you've put my worldview on a tilt."

Stroking up McKay's thigh John gently reached around and encountered grasping the length of McKay's penis. "Well, it doesn't look like Rodney junior minds."

"Rodney Junior?" McKay's voice quavered as Sheppard quickened his ministrations, "Oh, god yes."

"You don't have to call me god, Rodney, John is good enough." Whatever smart-assed comment McKay was going to make died in his throat as he moaned, thrusting into the warm tunnel of Sheppard's hand. John pressed himself into the crack of the other man's ass stoking harder until her cried out biting down on McKay's shoulder. He felt the other man convulse then cry out.

There was a knock at the door, and when Sheppard rose he found a clay jug of hot water in the hallway and a pile of white towels. He carted the water to the basin on a wooden table before a long mirror and found a straight razor and white bowl with a cake of soap. Washing quickly he shaved then dressed as McKay finished his morning bath.

The dining room was almost full to capacity and McKay thought that he must have been dead to the world not to have heard all these people arrive during the night. Teyla and Dex were seated at the same table they had eaten at the previous night already working on eating the enormous platter of food sitting before them. Teyla smiled pushing plates to the two humans, and McKay dived in unashamedly. After they were settled in Teyla turned to Sheppard and asked, "Colonel did anything unusual happen to you and Dr. McKay last night?"

Both Sheppard and McKay froze giving her a deer in the headlight look. Finally, Sheppard stuttered, "Uh unusual… no… nothing unusual."

"Yeah, nothing unusual." McKay chimed in, and Sheppard glared at him across the table. The scientist wined grabbing his knee as if he had been kicked under the table.

Teyla glanced sideways at both men, a smile spread over her features. "Colonel, Dr. McKay…are you both well?"

"Dammit," Sheppard thought she was entirely too intuitive. If they couldn't fool someone who hadn't known them long there was no way they could fool the others.

He was saved form answering by the front doors of the inn suddenly being thrown open.

Four men scrambled into the room carrying a travois bearing another man. The figure on the stretcher was pale, barely moving and the front of his shirt was soaked through with blood. Mischa hurried to the door.

"What is it? What has happened?" she cried. Carefully she pulled the loose fitting shirt away exposing the young man's body. In the center of his chest was a nasty looking wound. Sheppard knew it at once for a rifle shot, similar to the ones made by the P-90 he carried.

"Oh my god, it is Alexi Ivonnova…how did this happen?"

The men brushed her aside. "Quickly," One of them shouted, "Send for the healer at once. We have no time for your questions."

As the villagers hustled the young man into a room, the serving boy ran from the inn heading into the village. Sheppard sat back down glancing at Teyla and Dex. McKay noticed his grim expression. "What's wrong, John?"

"That kid, that was a gun-shot wound in his chest."

"How can that be," Dex hissed. "We saw no one when we were out. The only shots that were fired were at the wolf pack. I say no signs of men."

"Yeah, I know. And the only thing that I hit was that wolf. I don't know what the hell is going on around here, but I don't think that I like it."

TBC


End file.
